, 1887-02-25

~ ~
sent forth into the night a long, shrill
blast, and soon. in the mist rising beneath
the trees, Berthine saw the figures of a
band of men, the advance guard of the
arriving troops.
But don't pass before the rent hole!'
Pichon shouted, as the men appeared;
and Don't pass before the vent hole!''
solemnIy repeated the soldiers to those
behind. soon the whole troop was visi-
BILE to the young woman, a hundred
strong. each man carrying in his belt 200
cartridges, and led by Layigne himself.
Placing his men in a line around the
house, with n liberal space before the hole
leading to the cellar, the major COM
mandant ~valiantly entered the house to
inform himself as to the strength and at
titude Of the enemy, now 30 quiet that it
seemed as if they had flown. Pounding
heavily upon tho door above the pris-
oners' heads he called aloud: IN.
Ohiccr-M. Prussian Oficer-I wish to
speak to you" The German did not
reply. IT'S funny" said Lavigne to
himself, very funny pounding again
and receiving no response. For twenty
minutes more he continued to call upon
them-to knock and pound and summon
them TO surrender. but without the slight
est sign from the enemy Of either consent
or hostility.
In the meantime the soldiers cooled
their heels in the snow outside, faithfully
guarding the vent hole, shaping their
hands to keep them from freezing, and
with u childish but constantly increasing
desire to cross before it simply because
forbidden to do it.
Suddenly one of them, holder han the
rest. and who ran like n deer, made the
attempt. II was successful; the impris-
oned Prussians seemed as if dead. En-
boldened by their comrade, another and
another followed in his steps. 1t had
become u game, or a race for life in
which the devil could take the hindmost.
They had lighted u tremendous fire to
keep themselves from freezing, and the
ruddy glare of the flame fell full upon
the laughing faces of those prankish
guards as they voyaged rapidly from left
to right and from right to left again. All
at once some one called out: "Matheson,
it Is now you turn; come, hurry, my
boy; hurry upi"
Now, / must tell you that Matheson
was the baker of Rether, a enormously
fat man, whose inflated stomach, big as
an ordinary balloon, furnished unending
merriment for his frolicsome comrades.
He hesitated and tried to draw out of the
race, but they jeered and Knocked him till
he, too, started, breathless, and with
little mincing steps hat shook his paunch
like jelly, across the intervening space.
The whole detachment laughed until
they cried, shouting and urging him on
with a storm of bravas and encouraging
words.
Half way across the open space a large
red flame darted FROM the zen hole, a
sharp defamation followed, and the big
Rether baker fell upon his nose, with Il
ball in his thigh. As no one rushed to
succor him he dragged himself on his
hands and knees until out of reach of the
balls, her quietly tainted away, more
from fright than pain Of the wound, for
the ball had scarcely more than ploughed
the flesh below the thigh bone. At the
sound of the musket shot the major COM
mandant rushed from the house.
''Tinsmithsi' he roared. .'tinsmiths,
come forwardl'
A man, followed by two others.
stepped from the ranks and stood before
the commandment. Take the cutters
from the house." said he, land bring
them here
A few moments later twenty metres
OF water pipe lay at his feet. Then.
with a thousand precautions, a hole was
chopped in the corner of the trap door,
the end of the pipe inserted and the
other end fastened to the spout of the
pump.
The Prussians can stand a great
deal, " cried NJ. Lavigne with a beaming
smile, ''but it remains to be seen if they
can stand the drink we shall give them.
Pump, my boys, pump with n will, - and
with a wild hurrah the men obeyed.
Soon a silvery stream of water flowed
along the tubing and fell to the cellar be-
low with the murmuring of a summer
cascade. Hour after hour ran by, and
still the water fell, and still the enemy
held the ground, though every now and
then n stamping of feet and curses loud
and deep came from the depths below.
About 8 O'Clock in the morning a voice
suddenly came from the cellar calling for
the commandant. 81 wish to speak NIT
him at vonce.' "Do you surrender
shouted Lavigne, bending to the floor. If
40, pass up you arms" A hand come out
of the hole and q musket fell at his feet;
another and another, until finally a voice
cried: 1--WE hat no more, make haste
and stop te pump; We trown init water"
The commandant had the pump
stopped, and the soldiers, crowding about
the trap as the bolts were withdrawn.
watched the Germans ascend, six white
heads with water soaked hair and a half
drowned stare in their pale blue eyes.
AS they feared to be surprised the
Rethelites did not linger, but started for
the city, one half of the column bearing
between them the shivering prisoners,
the other half bearing Matheson ex-
tended upon a mattress supported by
poles.
For the bravery and gallantry with
which M. Lavigne had captured ''the
advance guard of the Prussian army"
as Rethel papers quoted it, he was dec
grated with the cross of honor, while
Matheson received a medal. For Berth
me nothing could be done; she was only
n woman, and 1t was impossible to adorn
her as a warrior. Translated from the
French of Guy de Maupassant for New
York Mercury.